KUCHING: Lo Khere Chiang, Datuk Peter Minos and Adam Yii are likely to remain as chairmen and mayor of their respective councils.
Lo is currently the chairman of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) while Minos is the chairman of Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (KSMC) and Yii is the mayor of Miri City Council (MCC).
The reappointment and swearing-in of new councillors will be held at Pullman Hotel today.
For the first time ever, all the 765 councillors from the 24 councils statewide will be sworn in in the state capital, unlike previously where they were sworn in at their respective councils.
The councillors appointed are said to be only from the four component parties of Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS). Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) has been excluded.
PSB vice-president Datuk Tiong Thai King is the chairman of Sibu Municipal Council (SMC). The question now is, who will replace him?
Will Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg reveal this at the ceremony? We’ll have to wait and see.
The talk is that the post will be left vacant for a while.
Meanwhile, will Kuching City South Council (MBKS) see a new man at the helm as well? Current mayor, Datuk James Chan’s term expires this Aug 31.
The new list of councilors was endorsed by Head of State Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud last week.
Before the swearing-in ceremony at 3pm, the councillors will take part in a workshop and talk in the morning.
The workshop and talk from the Local Government and Housing Ministry will touch on topics such as ‘Roles and Responsibilities of a Councillor’, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will talk about ‘Transparency and Accountability in the Local Authority’, while Shan Poornam Metals (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd will present ‘Environment and Resource Conservation’.
The 24 councils are MBKS, MCC, MPP, SMC, KSMC, Limbang District Council, Sri Aman District Council, Sibu Rural District Council, Sarikei District Council, Kapit District Council, Dalat and Mukah District Council, Betong District Council, Serian District Council, Saratok District Council, Lundu District Council, Lawas District Council, Bau District Council, Marudi District Council, Matu and Bario District Council, Lubok Antu District Council, Subis Distrcit Council, Simunjan District Council, Kanowit District Council, and Maradong and Julau District Council.
Each council normally has 30 to 32 councillors, and they are given a one-year or two-year term, or have their terms extended.
Councillors do not enjoy a salary but they each get a meeting or attendance allowance of between RM100 and RM700 a month depending on the number of meetings they attend.
But things may change now. It’s reliably learned that they may receive a monthly fixed allowance of around RM1,200-RM1,500. Coupled with the attendance allowance, each of the 765 councillors can expect to get close to RM2,000 a month.
Their Penang counterparts, for example, are each entitled to RM2,500 in fixed allowance, up to RM1,200 in attendance allowance and RM300 telephone allowance.
